Carton



Dec. 7, 1937. c. W. WHITE 2,101,522

CARTON Filed May 22, 1937 INVENTOI ATTORN EY S Patented Dec. 7, 1937tJNlTED STATE PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to cartons and particularly to cartons ofthe type including a casing and a drawer slidable therein.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved retaining strip forthe drawer contents of such a carton, the contents being matches asherein shown by way of example.

More specifically it is an object of the invention to provide aretaining strip for such cartons so constructed that the contents, forexample matches, may be easily removed down to the last match withoutmanually grasping the retaining strip for displacement; to provide sucha retaining strip which does not interfere with easy insertion of thedrawer into its casing, and does not interfere with the filling of thedrawer.

Further objects are to provide such a retaining strip in match boxes soconstructed that no part of it need be bent in order to extract anymatch from the drawer, whether the first or last match in the drawer; toprovide such a retaining strip so constructed that the matches may beeasily removed from the drawer in either of two directions, namely, in adirection lengthwise of the L match or in a direction at right angles tothe match length.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawingwhich illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention and inwhich:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the retaining strip in a drawertype match box, illustrating the removal of the match from the drawer;

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof, showing particularly theconstruction of the free end of the retaining strip and its relation tothe drawer end; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the drawer removed from its casing andshowing the retaining strip attached thereto.

Referring in detail to the drawing, a casing II is provided with a matchdrawer l3 slidable therein and containing a quantity of matches I5. The

matches may be packed in the drawer with their heads on either one sideor the other, or with some heads on each side. So far as the presentinvention is concerned, it is desirable only that the match lengthextend in a direction transverse to the length of the retaining strip,such length being measured from its attached end to its free end.

Retaining strip l9 consists essentially of a main or retaining portion2| having at one end a tuckin attached flap 23, preferably secured as byglue or otherwise to one end 25 of the drawer l3.

The other end of the retaining strip I9 is free and in accordance withthe invention lies in the plane of the main body of said strip, that is,the free end has no tuck-in flap or retaining or securing flap.

The length of the retaining strip, in accordance with the invention, issomewhat less than the length of the drawer measured inwardly thereof;it is enough shorter than the drawer so that the free end will liewithin the drawer but extends near enough to the drawer end, preferably,to prevent one of the matches I from falling out of the box at thispoint. For this purpose the free end of the retaining strip is spacedfrom the drawer end by an amount somewhat less than the thickness of oneof the matches.

In accordance with the invention and in order to facilitate the removal,not only of the first matches removed from the drawer, but also of theremaining matches down to the last match, the retaining strip isprovided at its free end with a cut-away portion which may, for example,have the shape of a quarter circle as defined by the curved line 2'! inFigure 2. It will be noted that only part of the free end is thus cutaway and that the cut-away portion in accordance with the inventionextends from the free end edge of the retaining strip inwardly of themain body 2! thereof.

By reference to the drawing it will be noted that when the box is fullof matches they may be easily removed at the cut-away portion of theretaining strip; and furthermore, that in accordance with the invention,they may be easily removed in any direction within an angle of 90,namely, either in a direction lengthwise of the matches as packed or ina direction transverse thereto, that is, in the direction of the drawerlength or retaining strip length, or in any direction lying betweenthese two directions.

In removing a match or matches from the box the retaining strip need notbe manually grasped at all; the mere act of removing the match will liftthe free end of the strip sufficiently, within the limits of its elasticlimit, to avoid possible damage or destruction of the retaining strip,which therefore need never be bent in order to effect removal of thematches. Further, it will be observed that the last match in the box canbe as readily removed as the first, all that is necessary being the meretilting of the box to bring the last match or matches under the cut-awayportion of the retainer strip, from 10 end of the drawer, the remainderof said strip being free, said strip extending along the top portion ofthe drawer substantially from end to end and being enough shorter thanthe drawer to lie within the drawer, the free end of said strip 15 beingin the same plane as the retaining portion,

part of said free end being cut away from its edge inwardly.

2. A match carton including a casing, a drawer slidable therein, and aretainer strip for the drawer contents, said strip having a retainingportion provided with a tuck-in attaching flap secured to the inner faceof one end of the drawer, the remainder of said strip being free, saidstrip extending along the top portion of the drawer substantially fromend to end, the free end of said strip being in the same plane as theretaining portion, part of said free end being cut away from its edgeinwardly, and the remainder of said free end lying within the drawer andspaced from "the drawer end by a distance less than the match

